


Never rely on the manufacturer's tracker

by smittenwithsugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 10:30:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11530362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenwithsugden/pseuds/smittenwithsugden
Summary: “I still want to talk to you.”“There’s nothing to talk about, Aaron,” Robert said.“Yes, there is,” he said, biting his lip, feeling nervous all of a sudden; this could be it now. “I want us to work. I want us to work on us. You were right before, we were good together, great. I just needed to get my head straight to see it again.”ORAaron wants to talk to Robert and goes back to old tricks when it doesn't work





	Never rely on the manufacturer's tracker

**Author's Note:**

> I had this headcanon yesterday and people on tumblr seemed to like it so I gave it a go. Rebecca is kinda OOC in this one, but then again it is hard to say what is actually in character for her right? So I just did what the show does and used her to fit my plot.

It was the end of October, three months since Aaron has come back to Emmerdale after breaking it off with Robert. The time away has been good for him, clearing his head and deciding what he wanted to do next. Back in the village he had called his counsellor and told her that he wanted to end their sessions and was trying to find somebody else, somebody specializing in self harm and anger issues. She has been surprisingly helpful and had suggested a few colleagues. Aaron had found a new counsellor and had already had six sessions, one once a week.

It was safe to say he was in a much better place.

He was in the shop now, not really paying attention, because Liv had send him a stupid text about nothing really, while he just handed David his card to pay for his shopping. He grabbed his bag and turned around, coming to a stop when he saw Robert standing in front of the cereal shelf.

He bit his lip, hesitated for a second and then stepped up next to him.

“What’s there to think about?” he asked. “You always pick the puffs.”

“Oh,” Robert said startled. “It’s not for me, it’s for Diane. Can’t remember what she wanted.”

“I see,” Aaron said and waited till Robert actually looked at him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Robert just said.

“How are you?” Aaron asked and immediately felt stupid for it.

“I’m fine,” Robert said immediately and it sounded as empty as it probably was. There was a stretch of silence where Aaron watched Robert struggle to come up with anything to say. When he did open his mouth, it wasn’t what Aaron expected. “How’s Liv? I heard she came back a couple of weeks ago?”

“Oh,” Aaron said, sounding a tad disappointed, “She’s good, loves her new room and the bigger sofa.”

Robert nodded, pressing his lips together.

“Okay,” he said, grabbing a pack of flakes. “See you.”

He turned around and without another word headed for the counter.

Aaron felt weird, cold somehow, like something didn’t add up. Didn’t Robert want him back anymore? He told him to leave him alone, but somehow, he always thought Robert would jump at the opportunity to talk to him again. Feeling a bit disheartened he left the shop.

\--

A week later Aaron went into the café and stepped up to the counter. Bob looked at him a bit shifty when he ordered his coffee.

“To go, I assume?” Bob asked him and Aaron scrunched his face in confusion and he followed Bob’s look. Robert was sitting at a corner table.

“No,” Aaron said turning back around. “To stay.”

“Good luck,” Bob just said and Aaron headed over to Robert’s table.

“You mind?” he asked and before Robert could say anything he sat down.

He had thought about Robert a lot. Had talked a lot about him in his sessions. Aaron knew what he wanted now, knew what he was willing to change, knew that he wanted to work on it, on them.

“Can we talk?” Aaron asked.

Robert was spared to give an answer for a bit when Bob came and sat Aaron’s coffee down in front of him and then quickly, so unlike Bob, disappeared again without a comment.

“About what?” Robert asked.

“Us,” Aaron said straight forward. “I want to talk about us.”

His eyes were fixed on Robert’s face, desperate to be able to read him and he thought he saw a glimmer of something, hope or longing, but he wasn’t sure.

Robert cleared his throat. “I’m going to be a father, Aaron,” he said and it shocked Aaron, because he had never heard it like that from Robert before. “I am going to have a son and I want to be a part of his life.”

Aaron saw Robert looking at him, waiting, and he knew he should say something, anything, but everything that came to mind wouldn’t make it to his mouth.

Robert nodded, looking a bit defeated but not surprised. “That’s what I thought,” he said and got up. “You were right, it’s always gonna be a problem, Aaron. You take care of yourself.”

Aaron wanted to tell him to stay, wanted to hold on to him, to ask where the change of mind came from, wanted to know how Robert felt, what the plan was. But all he could do was watch him leave.

\--

After the unsuccessful talk in the café Aaron had been trying to talk to Robert again, but no luck. He didn’t want to call him or text him, he wanted to see him and actually talk to him, show him that he was serious.

He got his chance a couple days later when he was walking away from the Mill, seeing Robert walking down the streets.

“Oi, wait up,” he called out and Robert turned around.

“Hey,” Aaron said when he caught up to him.  “I still want to talk to you.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Aaron,” Robert said.

“Yes, there is,” he said, biting his lip, feeling nervous all of a sudden; this could be it now. “I want us to work. I want us to work on us. You were right before, we were good together, great. I just needed to get my head straight to see it again.”

“No,” Robert said with a sigh and Aaron felt his heart drop. “I’ve seen you, Aaron. I’ve seen you with Adam and Liv, with Vic and your mum. I’ve seen you relaxed and happy and no weight on your shoulders. I know what I put you through. I know what I did to you. And you were right before, no matter how much talking we do, you are always gonna end up being the one who gets hurt. I’ll be a dad soon, I want to be a dad. And me being one will hurt you and I am not willing to put you through that. I am done being the one causing you pain. You are better off without me. You knew it before and I’ve seen it now. You are happier without me.”

Aaron felt like somebody had poured a cold bucket of water on him and he could see that it had not been easy for Robert to say all this.

“But I…,” Aaron tried.

“No,” Robert said sadly, shaking his head. “Go and be happy, Aaron. You deserve it.”

Robert shot him a sad smile and then turned around again to continue the way he had been going.

\--

It has been a stressful week for Robert. Nicola and Jimmy had decided to go on a spontaneous trip and left him alone to deal with Home James. He hadn’t had time for anything else except work.

He headed into the café now, just wanting to pick up a quick americano to go and then head back home to do more paperwork.

When he entered though, he saw Aaron and Rebecca sitting together at a table and was stood in shock. He couldn’t see Aaron’s face but Rebecca was actually smiling.

“You’re gonna order or what?” Bob asked him.

“Oh, yes,” Robert said, “americano to go please.”

He turned back around to see Aaron get up. He looked at him for a second before he left.

Robert was confused, more than that even, what on earth could those two have talked about?

He got his order, paid Bob quickly and then walked over to Rebecca.

“Hey,” he said and Rebecca looked up from her phone.

“I’m sorry I missed the scan yesterday,” Robert said while sitting down opposite her. “Everything okay with the baby?”

“Oh yes,” she said, “everything is fine, he is growing and kicking like a mad man.”

“Good,” Robert said with a small smile. “That’s good.”

“So you’re not gonna ask?” Rebecca asked after a moment of silence.

“Ask what?” Robert asked confused. “You just said everything is fine.”

“About Aaron,” Rebecca said, rolling her eyes amused. “What he wanted to talk to me about?”

“No,” Robert said immediately. He could not get into that again, it took him quite some time, a few too many bottles of whiskey and emotional breakdowns to realize that Aaron was better off without him. He was not gonna start and question that again.

“He talked to me about being involved,” Rebecca said, like she hadn’t heard him. “With the baby. He asked me if I would be okay with it.”

“No,” Robert said again. He could not and would not let Aaron put himself through that. He just knew it would hurt him again, he just knew sooner or later it would be too much. He wanted Aaron to be happy, not Aaron being hurt again because he couldn’t handle the baby after all.

“You two are the biggest idiots I have ever met,” Rebecca said with a dry laugh.

“Cheers for that,” Robert said.

“I’m serious, Robert,” Rebecca said. “Life is too short to pine. Believe me, I know. You can have it all now.”

\--

“I don’t get it,” Aaron said to Adam in the pub. “He saw me talking to her. Why wouldn’t he come and talk to me?”

“It’s been two days, mate, relax,” Adam said.

“I mean, does he really not want to be with me anymore?” Aaron asked, shaking his head. “You saw him when I got back. He was desperate. He loves me, I know he loves me. Why is he not trying anymore?”

“He told you, man,” Adam said. “He thinks he can’t make you happy. Why would that have changed just because you talked to the witch?”

“Because I showed I can be fine with the baby,” Aaron argued and sighed.

“It’s not even here yet,” Adam laughed.  “Come on, cut the man some slack, he wants to do the right thing and leave you alone. “

“That’s not the right thing though,” Aaron said frustrated.

“Really? Because that is exactly what you’ve been telling him over and over before you changed your mind,” Adam said.

“I know,” Aaron sighed. “I just…I know if he would just listen to me, we could work it out. I know it. We can do this, I’m better now, he’s better now.”

“Why don’t you write it in the sky, mate?” Adam laughed. “That’ll show him. He likes grand gestures, right?”

Aaron’s face changed and Adam looked panicked.

“I was joking. Please don’t write it in the sky,” Adam said quickly.

“Pff, who do you take me for?” Aaron asked offended. “But I have another idea.”

He got out of their booth and put on the jacket. “Thanks, mate, see you later.”

“Hold on, Aaron, am I not gonna hear about this grand plan? Aaron? Aaron?” Adam called after him, but Aaron was already out the pub and on his way to The Mill.

\--

_“Never rely on the manufacturer's tracker.”_

Robert was sitting at Diane’s kitchen table, laptop in front of him, working, when the text message arrived. He saw it pop up on his screen and was confused.

After unlocking his phone, he saw it was from Aaron and it immediately clicked. Their first meeting, of course. He got up in a rush and walked over to the window. And sure enough his car was not upfront where he’d left it.

 _“What are you playing at?”_ he texted back, already grabbing his jacket and keys.

The answer came immediately: _“You know.”_

“Diane,” he called up the stairs, “can I borrow your car?”

“Sure, pet,” came the answer immediately, he grabbed her keys and he was out of the door.

He arrived at Moira’s, parked Diane’s car and walked into the barn just like he had that day.

Aaron was leaning against his car, spare key still in hand and shot him a shy smile when he entered.

“Really?” Robert asked, but couldn’t hide his smile.

“Yeah,” Aaron said. “I know you don’t negotiate with idiots, but I promise I won’t make idiotic suggestions.”

“You didn’t have to steal my car,” Robert said.

“Yeah, I did,” Aaron countered. “You wouldn’t talk to me and I thought, well, now you sort of have to. And I wanted to show you, that I… well… I want us to start again. New. Fresh.”

“Aaron,” Robert said softly, “ignoring our problems is what got us in this mess in the first place.”

“I don’t wanna ignore them,” Aaron said quickly. “I want to talk to you about them, work on them. I haven’t always been honest with you, I know that now. I was unfair sometimes, accusing you of being the only one to blame for things going downhill, when I was the one bottling things up and not talking to you, too.”

“But your health…I mean…your self harming….,” Robert started.

“Is not an excuse for not talking to you,” Aaron said. “It takes two to be in a relationship, right? I think I forgot that a lot.”

“Aaron, what about the baby. How can you be sure it won’t set you back?” Robert asked softly, worried.

“I’m not,” Aaron said honestly. “I am guessing it will be hard and tough and I will probably hate every minute you have to spend with her because of him. But… I figured, you know…. Well, I mean, as long as we are being honest about it. I might need some space sometimes, and you might need some space sometimes. But I don’t hate the baby, that was me projecting a lot of other things and insecurities. I wanna be there for you. I wanna support you. I want us to do this together.”

Robert swallowed hard. He didn’t know this was what he needed to hear, but it was and it almost sounded too good to be true.

“You mean it?” he asked and his voice almost broke.

And Aaron’s heart skipped a bit at the sound of that and he took a step and he pulled Robert close. His arms around his waist, his eyes locked with his.

“I am absolutely sure,” he said and then he kissed him and it felt like coming up for air after being underwater for too long.

When they ended Robert sighed against his lips and whispered: “I love you,” and it sounded like the biggest relief, like he was finally allowed to love him again and to say it again.

Aaron pulled back, just enough to look him in the eyes.

“I love you more,” he said sincerely. “And I am sorry I ever made you feel you’re not worth it.”

“You had to take care of yourself,” Robert said. “Don’t ever feel like that is not the most important thing, okay?”

“You and me both,” Aaron said, “that is the most important thing.”


End file.
